Hydrocarbon based fuels are the primary fuels employed to power internal combustion engines. Such fuels are derived from a limited supply of oil found on the earth. As the human population increases, the use of internal combustion engines and the demand for hydrocarbon based fuels to power internal combustion engines increases. It is likely that the production of hydrocarbon based fuels from the limited supply of oil will not keep pace with growing demands. Further, it can be anticipated that at some point in time, the limited supply of oil will be exhausted.
One strategy to reduce the demand for hydrocarbon based fuels has been to use alternative fuels such as ethanol, natural gas, and hydrogen, for example, to power internal combustion engines. However, alternative fuels currently have limited availability. Making alternative fuels readily available to consumers will require significant capital investment in production facilities for alternative fuels and an infrastructure to distribute alternative fuels.
The production of alternative fuels typically requires consuming other resources such as electric energy to produce hydrogen and corn to produce ethanol, for example. The production of alternative fuels also can require the consumption of hydrocarbon based fuels. Accordingly, whether traditional hydrocarbon fuels or alternative fuels are employed, increased fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines is required to minimize the consumption of oil and other natural resources.
Accordingly, there is an unmet need for an internal combustion engine and a method of operating the same, wherein the consumption of fuel by the internal combustion engine is minimized.